


Sleep when you are able

by Sirengenesis



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Blood, Child Abuse, Family Dynamics, Gen, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:08:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27922030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sirengenesis/pseuds/Sirengenesis
Summary: Family isn't always what you are born with, sometimes it is found along the way. Through tragedy, heartbreak, and loss, they are the ones that stand beside you. Even when you have lost your way. From the first time Philza saw the boys, to watching the world tear their little found family apart, there has always been something special about their little corner of the world.A retelling of the events of the Sleep Bois Inc canon, from the time they are adopted, to the current day. Fic will hopefully be updated as more canon events come to pass.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 60





	1. Alone

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Blood, Violence, Isolation, Child Abuse mention
> 
> Disclaimer: This piece is done based off the Character personas of a group of minecraft lets players and is in no way reflective of the real life people who play these characters.

The world was different when you were alone. After all, being alone meant it was possible to venture out into the endless stretches of possibility. The deep expanses of a world that seemingly had no limits, no end in sight for when it may run out of life to give. It also meant that as much vision, wonder, and amazement that one might find, there was never one to share it with. 

That was the life that Philza had found himself locked into. The man who never dies. The immortal. When age has no hold, how long can you move forward? It was always a test, always a curiosity, one his kind had pushed to the unknown boundaries. At a time, they had been gods among men. 

Pious creatures who held an amusement for the mortals stuck to the grounds below. Dancing in and out of the arms of danger and escaping to the skies above. Everyone is tempted to fly too close to the sun sometimes though. 

Curiosity leads to temptation, and temptation leads to mistakes. ‘ _Don’t let them see you, don’t get too close, never stay on the ground when the sun goes down_.’ those were their laws. It only ever took one slip up. Just one evening of zealous to destroy a lifetime of caution. 

He never thought the elders were right. The land walkers were nothing to fear. The creatures they hid in their homes from were novel at best. Nothing that they couldn’t handle. 

Being wrong always came with a price though. 

Their confidence, their immortality, their power, it was never made to be infallible. He had tormented himself for it. Lived over those last moments so many times. If only he had noticed the sun going down a little bit faster, if only they hadn’t got so close, if only he hadn’t tried to reach out. 

But life never did play in reverse. Lives once lost, could never be regained. 

The blood from that night stained his hands. Coated him with sins. He escaped. . . but to what? His people shunned him. Hated him. His confidence, his arrogance, it had cost them all. Their home was a target- they were targets. 

The land walkers would come after them now. He had broken their most basic laws, and he was to pay the price for it. 

He remembered falling. As they exiled him to walk among those he chose over his own kind. The feeling of wings made of lead too heavy to lift, to melted to fly. The day he hit the ground when hatred and anguish built up in his heart. He had sworn he would survive. 

It wasn’t wrong, he couldn’t be wrong. Sure it hadn’t gone great, but there had to be a way for them to survive together. 

So he tried again, and again, and again. He tried until his heart went cold. After all, they lived and died so quickly. A flash, a breath, and then he was alone- again. 

It was easier that way. It wasn’t easy, it took time, it took practice, but eventually, he got good at it, at keeping himself busy, at building back a life for himself. The weight never left his shoulders, but he found ways of breaking his ties to the ground. 

Even if only temporary, inventions of the land walkers could press the wind under his wings and force his legs off the ground. Jumping into the abyss and allowing the rush to catch them just before the end. 

It took years of toil, of preparation. Stealing what he must, fighting when he was caught, pushing back against a world that forsook him just for a chance to go home. 

That was why when the day finally came anxiety filled his lungs. Glancing up at the passing clouds that he knew shielded the city in the sky from prying eyes. It was within his grasp. 

He felt near tears as he took a deep breath atop the cliff sides overlooking the vast ocean he had grown so accustomed to practicing over. The icy waves that had welcomed him into their embrace time and time again. 

Not this time. This was the time he would make it. He was sure of it. This time he was going home. He raised his wings, the weight still there, but he had learned how to handle that, how to move them even when they felt like they were made of stone. To catch the air, to fly. 

So he jumped, the explosion leaving his hand at the last second and sending him rocketing skywards, the flash of colors leaving him behind as he rose. Then again, and again, each explosion rocketing him higher and higher into the sky. 

Stone walls, beautiful trees that reached heavenward still, the quiet breath of air echoing through open streets, home. 

Quiet, beautiful, ransacked, abandoned, home. 

His heart sunk as his feet hit the stone streets. The weight on his shoulders suddenly so much heavier as he looked around. Torn open doors, and forgotten towers, lanterns that would never be released, and gardens that overtook the barriers that once held them at bay. 

It was all gone. All because of him. 

“No, no no, this can’t be right, how could they have gotten here. Who could have done this!” He screamed a plea into the night that no one could hear. 

The moon and sun passed overhead in their teasing dance, one forever chasing what they could not have as the man with no home ran. Every building, every corner, every soul, gone. A ghost town that was kept alive by the thrum of magic held deep within its heart. 

The castle was empty. His family was gone. He was alone. Well and truly alone. 

But at least, there was no one to tell him no, right? After all, he had been alone before, this surely wouldn’t be any different. So, who cares this was where his family had once resided, or that they had left him behind, who needed them? 

Assurance was easy to fake to others, but to oneself? That was much harder. Even as he repeated his mantra in his mind, wandering these empty corridors and taking whatever struck his fancy, he could feel the resolve shattering. Each step bringing him closer to the realization, that nothing here, or anywhere, none of his fun or projects, none of that would ever fill this void. The emptiness that continued to gnaw at him. 

Until he found his way back home again. His heart longing so desperately for anything, or anyone, he pushed open the door. Not sure what he expected, that his father would have stayed behind? That his mother would welcome him with open arms, that when everyone else had turned on him, had blamed him for something that wasn’t his fault that he would be able to rely on his family? How terribly naive. 

It was clear from the homes disheveled estate, from the dust that coated everything in a dead gray no one had remained, no one waited, the barely picked clean cabinets and shelves proving what he had already believed. 

They had left him without a moment's hesitation. He felt that regret swelling inside his throat, and as he caught sight of a flash of green and white hanging on the bedside table, it all released. Philza stepped over and grasped his father's hat, holding it close to his chest but for a moment as everything finally spilled forth. His hate, his sorrow, the guilt, the regret, he sobbed. His hands feeling numb as they clung onto the scrap of the past that he begged to return him to a world so full of life. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. I’ll never make those mistakes again. I’ll be extra careful, I’ll stay away from the land walkers, I’ll stay in after dark. Anything. . . just- just come back” 

But they wouldn’t. 

The world had continued to turn just as it always would. The man that couldn’t die, the man that time forgot, was left in the ruins of a world that had once held everything before a selfish little boy had wanted so much more. 

How long he held there, he wouldn’t be able to recount, his emotions rung dry, aside from his tears when he finally managed to pry his aching bones from their spot. He placed his hat upon his head and looked out over the expanse of the City in the sky. The unkempt gardens and the broken wood, the shattered glass, and half torn banners. 

Staying here forever wouldn’t be possible. After all, his heart could only take it for so long, but he vowed he would not let such a place of wonder and majesty be lost to time. If he could create something to draw the crystal thrum of power close to the realm below. 

Everyone would finally be able to see it. His home, and all its beauty. There would be a chance they wouldn’t understand, there was always a chance, but what did he have to lose? It wasn’t like there was ever going to be someone looking for him. He would make the castle in the sky a place of beauty and wonder once more. Show to those who dared to dream that there was something beyond the horizon, something to dream towards. 

Carefully he made his way over to the edge, hesitating only for a moment as he balanced on the decayed stones that curved around the base of his kingdom. With a single glance back, he smiled. The ruins were not the end. This was only the beginning. 

So he leaned back and fell. 

* * *

From that day on, it became almost easy to fall into that way of life. He had always been good with his hands, with uncovering the world around him. Bit by bit he gathered supplies, day in and day out surviving and thriving in this new world. Brick by brick he began to put together the gateway that would bring his old home to new people again. 

The great monument in the water that he uncovered was a perfect base. He just had to fix it up, and eventually, get the power supply going that would draw the City in the sky back towards the earth once more. 

Months went by with nothing but his own labor to keep him sane. He took to ventures through the woods, watching the world beyond from a distance, watching people go about their lives. He oddly found himself taking comfort in their daily task. It made him feel less alone to watch them. 

Somedays he would take to sitting in the trees, a break from his hard work to watch the town go about their every day. They were good people for the most part, and he couldn’t help but feel invested in their lives. In their progression. 

He was sure that they would find something in his old home that could help them even more. These weren’t the same people that he had once blamed for everything, for taking his home from him. Instead, they were becoming his new family, even if none of them knew it. Something he could enjoy when everything else was silent. 

His project didn’t go unnoticed however, he had never expected it would. Soon enough people were flocking to the far shores, looking out at the grand temple that had risen from the depths of the sea. To the shining light, it shot up into the sky. The City had yet to break through the cover of clouds, but Philza could already tell that people were curious as to what he had accomplished. 

The most curious of the group was a small section of men dressed in a particular set of robes. They were unlike others that Philza had encountered. Perhaps closest to the clerics that healed the city, but not quiet. Their stark white attire stood out against the bright lush colors of the world they inhabited. 

They whispered curious things to one another, quiet questions about gods and immortality. They weren’t the first people to talk about such things, and Philza knew they would be far from the last. Still, they didn’t speak about it the same as others did, there was no revelry in their voice. Instead, it was something akin to curiosity. 

It was something that sat poorly in his bones. So, he found himself hiding. Whenever they came about, he would nestle himself far into the upper reaches of the palace's towers. Still too curious for his own good to stay completely away. 

“Do you think that there is another crystal here?” 

The words rang clear in the empty halls, and Philza found himself tucking in farther to his hiding spot, unwilling to leave as curiosity baited him for who knows how many times. They spoke so differently to others. Surely there were answers to their strange behavior somewhere. 

“Perhaps? I’m fairly sure the text mentions a kingdom in the sea for one of their locations.” 

“It has to be! Think of it logically lads, there is no reason for this to have shown up short of it being one of the elder locations. We finally awoke the first god. So the others are awakening as well.” 

_Gods?_ It wasn’t the first time Philza had heard the land walkers talk about gods, they did frequently in fact. They based so much of their lives on such things. What was curious though, was this was the first time that he had heard them talk so factually about them. As if they truly had seen one instead of it being the stories they told to their children late at night to help them sleep or make them behave. 

“We still have no proof that our work has been successful. His skills are undeniable but hardly anything worthy of claiming godhood.” 

The huff did plenty to tell that there was a strain between the two white-clad men’s opinion. Still, it didn’t seem to deter their exploration farther into the castle. They were getting closer, a bit too close for Philza’s comfort, He glanced about, checking to see if he had left enough opening in the raptors to squeeze through, he could fly off, escape before they could see him. 

A third voice cut through all his contemplation, however, a voice that sent panic through Philza as he searched for the source. He was normally hyper-vigilant, how could someone have snuck up on him. . . but there was no one. 

“The project has gotten out of hand! We need everyone back to base! This is an emergency broadcast. Hurry!!” 

The two men looked at one another, before glancing at a device that one held on his backpack strap. “We are on our way.” He assured into the device before both men took off in a sprint down the winding staircase, rapidly towards the exit and returning to their rowboat to head back to shore. 

Philza knew he should let them be. He needed to stay where he was, there were too many things about the strange men that set him at ill-ease, but curiosity gnawed at him like a disease. What had gotten out of hand, what was that device? 

“Philza, don’t do this. This is a bad idea and you know it. You are just getting yourself into trouble.” He chided himself, pushing his hat down farther over his eyes to shield the dying light of the day. 

“It’s almost night. You should go home, call it a day. Leave them to their own devices.” 

He gave a small nod to himself. That was right, he didn’t need to get involved. Whatever was going on it was their own doing. Their own fault. It would only be asking for trouble to get involved now. 

Still, he couldn’t stop himself from glancing back at the rowboat as it slowly made it’s way back to shore. There was no reason for him to follow. It was only going to be trouble. 

“Sometimes, I really do hate myself.” He signed, before grabbing up his sword and strapping it to his side, as well as a small round shield he could use while he flew. The magic totem in his back pocket, a just in case for the worst-case scenario, and a few hand-held explosions for running and he did what he knew he shouldn’t, and followed. 

He tailed the two for what seemed like ages, jumping between trees, gliding to keep out of sight, making sure to keep far enough behind they would never see what was right there. Staying far enough away to escape. 

The sun had set and the woods were filled with creatures of all types, but the two were at least capable of caring for themselves, the heavy lanterns they carried helping to keep most the questionable type away. Which meant that Philza had to worry less about what may be around, and only needed to focus on what stood ahead of him. 

He smelled it before he ever saw it, however. The heavy scent of smoke and ashes coated the air. He stopped long before the duo did, seeing from above the treeline what they were not yet able. A large building burning, there was no easy way to tell how much or how bad the fire was, but it was clear that it was still raging. Whatever had caused it. 

Slowly he made his way closer, inch by inch, he could hear screaming, but not just those of panic, of pain, of dying. The heavy scent of blood was in the air. Lives had been lost here, and as the two men in white seemed to take in their surroundings another ran out to meet them. His white was painted red, from his own blood or from others, there was really no way to tell. “We lost control of the blade. We are trying to stop the fire from taking over the rest of the facility.” 

He seemed panicked, and the other two seemed to understand instantly the cryptic message they were given. Taking off in a sprint inside the flaming building, as others began to suit up in proper armor on the outskirts. Bows and arrows, explosives, torches, swords, it seemed they were taking no chances in whatever had caused this chaos to begin with. 

“I need to leave,” Philza muttered to himself, flashes of that day returning to his mind for a split second as he struggled to focus on the task at hand. If they found him, no matter if he was their target or not, there was a chance they were going to kill him, or worse. There was no way to tell, and he wasn’t about to stick around to find out. 

Just like that he took off, it was going to be safer to stay towards the ground now, he could tell they were scanning for anything unusual and the last thing he needed to do was set off an explosion to get some height to escape them. He had to keep low and keep quiet. 

Not being able to use any sort of light at night was dangerous, but he would take his chances with the monsters rather than the other creatures that roamed about. He still had his wits about him, knew his way through the forest, even if he hadn’t been this deep. The world was easy to read when you knew the right signs. 

He crept through the undergrowth, hyper-vigilant for creatures of the night, for signs of attackers, anything and everything could be an enemy and he was not about to let all his work fall to nothing after how close he had come to his goal. 

That’s why when he heard the sounds of something rapidly moving through the bushes, he did what he knew how to do best. He prepared for the worst-case scenario. Sword at the ready he moved back so he would have a clear view of what was coming his way. 

What he could have never expected though was the small flash of pink as a creature that was no higher than his knees came dashing out, sword in his own blood-soaked hand, his other arm pressed over his stomach, he glanced up with eyes so cold Philza couldn’t believe they belonged to the child. 

He snarled, inhuman and unnatural as he launched himself at Philza, there were tusk raised from his lips, deep cuts and gashes on ears that weren’t right for a land walker, and limbs that didn’t seem large enough to hold the weapon he wielded with such speed. 

Still, Philza had been prepared, even if his attack wasn’t what he expected, he was ready, and his shield caught the blow, and he parried with an attack of his own. A quick jab towards the child's arm in an attempt to disable the assault. 

He wouldn’t die here, not now. The attack landed, and he felt the blade rend flesh and saw the shake of the child's grip on the blade. Still, he didn’t relent, he lashed forward again as if he were possessed. It was an attack Philza once more was able to catch. No matter how inhuman the child was. He was still a child, and he was still gravely hurt, and those injuries were taking their toll. 

He knew that it wouldn’t be so simple to stop whatever caused this aggressive behavior, so he did the one thing he believed could work, quickly sidestepping the attacking child he drove the hilt of his blade down on the back of the child’s neck. He let loose a strike that was heavy, precise, and effective as he watched the form crumble to the ground. 

Being free of the attack he turned to leave, ready to escape before he captured any more unneeded attention, especially as he could hear the shouting growing closer but the shuddering breath from behind made him pause. 

He glanced back, now that the child was unconscious it was easier to take in his current state. Beyond the wound, Philza had given him there were multiple stab wounds and arrow punctures across his underweight body. He was bleeding, rather badly in fact as his chest struggled to push air through clearly injured lungs. 

“He went this way” 

The call was clear, and at that moment it all clicked. This child, this boy, was who they were after. This blade that had escaped them was nothing more than a mistreated kid. A kid who is dying thanks to you He corrected himself, a kid who had just been trying to escape. 

Guilt ate at him, and at that moment, he made a choice that would change his life forever. 

Rushing over he scooped up the child and carefully tying his coat to help cradle him. He took the totem from his pocket and carefully placed it between the child's small fingers, curling them around it so that its magic would seep into his form. 

He glanced back and could see the white coats and the soldiers that accompanied them following the trail of blood to lead them to his location. 

If he was going to get their attention no matter what, he might as well get out of here fast. With that thought in mind, he drew out his wings. One hand wrapped around the child tucked in his coat, the other on his own blade pointed towards them and coldness to his eyes. 

“Step closer and I’ll cut off your heads where you stand.” He ordered. 

His voice raised as he saw them finally catch sight of his form. There was that moment he could see on all their face, confusion, fear, and maybe, for some, something more. But he had no time to dwell on that. 

“Your crimes for this are unforgivable, and you have been deemed unworthy to protect this child any longer. I am removing him from your care. If you ever try looking for him, I will ensure you suffer long and painful deaths for your transgressions.” He practically snarled the last bit, as he felt the magic of the totem pulsing. 

The child had died in his arms, saved only by the magic that was far beyond the capabilities of most. These people had allowed this to happen. He couldn’t help the anger he felt as he watched them hesitate. But anger couldn’t be the victor this day. Anger wouldn’t save them. 

He quickly placed his blade away as he reached back and grabbed one of the small explosives he kept. “Remember my words mortals.” And with that he jumped, wings pressing down as hard as they could as he threw the explosive, and just like that was taken into the sky. 

Their stunned silence and fear seemed to wear off then, and he felt the arrows as they sailed by, too close for comfort, but thankfully the trees gave him plenty of covers as he used more explosives to accelerate his way home. Knowing he would need to find somewhere new for him, for them. Somewhere far far away from this place and those people. 

He glanced down at the child’s face as he flew, could see the wounds healing and his breathing finally stabilizing as the totem crumbled in his small hands and he recalled the creed his people had always had. _Do not be seen, do not get too close, do not be on the ground after dark._

“I guess not every rule has to be set in stone.” He whispered to himself, glancing at the horizon, aiming towards the distance ready to fly till he no longer could. 


	2. Settling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes it only takes a bit of patience and a lot of work to manage to find a new sort of normal. Philza is learning that some people take more patience than others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for Blood, violence, and mentions of child abuse

Philza brushed his hair back out of his face as he continued to drag the logs down from the woods to the  cabin, he had put together for him and the small boy who had wormed his way into the man who never died life. 

Still,  Philza couldn’t quite figure out what in the world he was meant to do with the boy. He dropped the logs to the side just in time to turn around and see two dark brown eyes watching him from the doorway, unblinking for a few moments before vanishing back inside.

That had been it. That was all there had been between them for the three weeks that  Philza had been nursing the child back to health. A lot of silence, and a lot of watching.

He gave a long sigh as he thought back to just how long it had taken to simply find something the kid would eat. Pork was a big no he had figured out. 

They still had a few months before winter hit in full force, which meant that  Philza still had a bit of time to gather enough firewood for them. Something he intended to take full advantage of. Stepping inside he slipped off his shoes and hung up his coat. He scanned the room, trying to find where the kid had scampered off too.

Normally the answer was hiding somewhere in plain sight and sure enough, he saw the flash of pink hair poking out from under the corner table of the living room. It was actually pretty adorable, and  Philza had found that when he played along it helped bring the kid's anxiety down to a  manageable level. He hoped at some point he might even convince the kid to talk.

Looking around he scratched his head. “Where in the world could he have gone?” He said out loud, glancing around the room and under the intentionally incorrect tables. “ Helloooo ? Absolutely vanished. He must be a master at stealth.” He wandered into another room, glancing back over his shoulder to see the little flash of pink following him around the corner and under one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

“Maybe he is hiding in one of the cabinets” Philza announced before dramatically opening it. “I got you!” He proclaimed confidently and grinned to himself when he heard the stifled giggle under the table.

Philza had always enjoyed putting on a show, and his  over-the-top display seemed to amuse both of them, so he had decided there really wasn’t any harm in it. Sitting down at the table he leaned back, eyes shut. “Oh woah is me, I’ll never see him again, he’s vanished!”

It was at that moment he felt a small hand wrap around his shirt and give it a small tug.  Sure, enough the young boy had crawled over and disclosed his location, glancing up at  Philza with amusement in his dark eyes. 

“Oh my god! You scared me! You came out of nowhere!”  Philza proclaimed, putting his hand to his chest with a small smile. “You’ll have to teach me to hide as well as you do sometimes. What do you say?” 

The small nod he got in response was about what  Philza had come to expect. “Well, I suppose I should start at dinner, would you like to help me?” He inquired and received another small nod.

Just like that,  Philza stood up and offered a hand to the child. Waiting as the kid looked at it for a moment longer than normal before standing up himself and hurrying into the kitchen. 

It was clear that there was no small amount of trauma that the boy had to deal with, but  Philza was patient. He could wait out the kid. He had lived in silence for a very long time, so anything was better than that.

“Do you want to grab the milk for me?” He asks, glancing over and watching as the child hurries off to do as he was told. The kid listened well, that much was for sure. He grabbed one of the kitchen knives and began peeling the potatoes. 

Alas, absence of mind can lead to small mistakes in the kitchen, and he hissed as the blade nicked his finger. A quick hiss and he dropped the potato, but that wasn’t the only thing. He glanced up as the child had dropped the bucket of milk onto the floor as well, watching  Philza as if he were in a trance. 

“Oh! Hey, no worries, I’m alright, see” He held up his hand, wrapping some cloth around the small nick. “Just a little cut, it’ll be healed up in no time.”

Before he knew what was happening, however, the child had bolted from the room, and  philza stood in shock for a few seconds, that was until he heard the front door slam closed, and just like that he sprung to action. “Wait!” He called, hurrying towards the door, not bothering to grab his shoes or his jacket as he dashed into the cold evening air.

“Kid where did you go?” He called out, glancing around as quick as he could, hoping to catch that telling strike of pink that let him know where the boy was hiding. This time, it wasn’t so easy though. It was clear he had hurried deeper into the forest. Not somewhere safe for a child to be. Especially not as it got late.

“Shit.” He swore before hurrying into the woods. Panic swelling in his throat as he looked around desperately, he was without a weapon, without a shield, without anything, if a monster came upon them. . . 

He couldn’t think about that right now. He had to focus on finding the kid for now. As long as he could find him fast enough, that is all that mattered. It seemed no matter how deep he ran into the woods he couldn’t find the child.

Fear started setting in a little deeper as the sun finally set behind the tree lines the horrors of the night groaning and moaning as they woke from their soil prisons to roam the world once more and to drag others down to their forever tomb with them.

“Kid! Please come back!” He was getting desperate now, hoping and praying beyond measure that he would find him in time.

His feet were bruised and scuffed from running over dirt and rocks without his shoes, his teeth chattered in the cold, pressing forward until finally  _ finally _ , he saw that flash of pink.

The child had found a tree, hollowed out by a lightning strike that had burned out its insides and huddled up inside of it. Hiding his face in his knees, hair spilled over obscuring him from view.

Philza rushed to his side, reaching out to try and help get him down from the tree. “ oh, thank goodness you are alright.” he began, before his hands were slapped away and the child muttered something under his breath.

“What?” the words were muted by his legs, and it wasn’t that philza was trying to make the kid repeat himself but he really hadn’t heard and the last thing he wanted was to hurt the child.

Either way, the kid snapped, looking up at him, teeth sharp, tusk jutting from his lower jaw, his eyes with a  red ring forming around the brown iris. “I Said don’t touch me!” He screamed, speaking to  Philza for the first time.

Philza could see that the kid was shaking, his nails were sharp as claws, his body just ever so slightly  _ wrong  _ if he were human, it reminded  Philza of the first time he had seen the child. It hadn’t  registered to him how different the child had looked since that night, but seeing him now, it was strange to think he had ever missed it.

“Hey, it’s okay, I’m here to help,” he promises, reaching out only to be growled at by the child.

“I said don’t touch me! I’m a monster, a weapon, their blade!” 

He seemed so sure of himself, his body shaking, either from the cold or from something else,  philza couldn’t tell, but his heart broke either way.

“This is what they were doing to you.” he realized, a hint of regret to his voice as the events finally snapped in place. He glanced down at his hand, at the small cut that had long since stopped bleeding.  _ The blood must have caused this. _

Even without confirmation, he could tell it was the truth. Whatever those men had wanted, they had taken to attempting to get by using a child. More and more he was sure of his choice. Taking the kid had been the right thing to do. No matter the challenges it came with.

The kid wasn’t going to let him get close. That much was obvious, so  Philza did the only thing he could think to do, and found a small tree nearby to climb up into. There was no lack of confusion from the child as he watched the older man climb up into a tree.

“I’m not going home without you. If you don’t want me to touch you yet that’s alright. I’ll wait with you till you feel better.” He explained, and he saw in that moment the glance of . . . something in the child’s eyes. He wasn’t sure what it was, surprise, or maybe gratitude, but the aggression melted if only for a moment before he  buried his head back into his arms. 

It was cold, there was no doubt about that, and  Philza really wished he had been smart enough to bring his weapons with him, but there had been no time to wait about. Who knows what would have happened or if he would have ever been able to find the kid again if he had  waited?

They were there for some time, enough so that  Philza felt himself almost wishing he could nod off, his stomach rolling with hunger as he was sharply reminded that dinner had been left by the wayside in their little home.

The sounds of the night began to grow louder and louder still. He knew it was only a matter of time before creatures began to stir, he glanced over, hoping to see the child  stirring , changing, anything, but it seemed that whatever had caused the change held tight. His body still showed signs of the slight morph it undertook as a result of the blood.

Jumping from the tree  Philza looked around, he broke a large branch and took to  sharpening some stone. If nothing else he could make a makeshift weapon. Something to protect them till they could return home. 

If only he had been paying better attention.

“ Philza look out!” 

The small voice practically screamed, and  Philza turned just in time to see the sharp snake-like features of the green time bomb crawl from the shadows. He held his arms in a brace before he felt the ground give out from under him. The blast throwing him back sharply against the small crater in the ground.  ”Fu -” He began, cutting off as his head began to spin.

The dead were moving, and he had no time to remake his weapon. Glancing around he finally saw the sword he had crafted, thrown to the side outside his little crater of a tomb. He scurried to his feet, ready to grab the weapon when he felt the sharp sting of an arrow in his arm.

“Philza!” 

He abandoned his escape, instead of looking down the bow of the walking dead that had him trained in its sights, he dodged the arrow as it embedded itself in the dirt behind him. He was a sitting duck in his current position and he knew without a weapon this wasn’t going to be easy.

A scream cut his distraction, and he glanced back, fearful that a creature had seen the kid and attached while he was distracted. What he saw was  quite the opposite. The child had grabbed his makeshift weapon and jumped at the skeleton, a quick slash and the binds of magic that wove the bones together were snapped, leaving nothing but a pile of bones where the archer had once stood.

The boy screamed again, his eyes pure red and the tusk fully visible now. He looked so similar to the manic creature that  Philza had seen in the woods that night, but oh so much stronger. All the creatures that came their way were meet with the same swift fate. Dispatched without hesitation by a  blood-soaked stone blade.

Philza escaped his prison of dirt, making sure to keep back from the child, lest he be confused for an enemy, and preparing to help take on anything that might overwhelm them. Hours passed, and still, the assault never wavered, and the child never faltered. Enemy after enemy fell to the blade. The weapon created by men out of someone who deserved better.

It was beautiful in a strange way. The way that the child moved wasn’t normal, wasn’t human. Instead, it was something far more elegant. A dance that someone so young should never have learned, but one he clearly knew with intimacy. Each pivot, each slice, a calculated strike, he risked no openings and allowed for no surprises. Each monster was meet with the same harsh defiance. Regardless of if they were swarming him in waves, or firing from a distance. 

For a moment  Philza considered trying to fashion another weapon, to aid the child from the attacks. The glazed red to the child’s eyes gave him a reason to pause. For the moment,  Philza was not seen as a threat. For the moment he was allowed safety because the creatures around them posed a more  imamate threat, there was absolutely no telling if  Philza were to raise a blade if that would continue. It was clear the child was in a daze, had no understanding or regard for  _ what  _ he was fighting. It was something being done by instinct alone. 

The Blade was chipping, it’s quick fashioning's starting to give, and it was only a matter of time before it would no longer cut through the flesh of the night's creatures.  Philza glanced towards the horizon, the sun was peaking over the distance, and it would only be a matter of time before the night's mobs would have to retreat or burn in the safety of the sun.

With the dawning of the day's light,  Philza also was finally able to see clearly. The child was far from untouched, he had small scars and knicks littering his body, wounds left untended, clearly forgotten by the rush of adrenaline that pushed him to keep fighting no matter what. 

The monsters that ran the night were finally vanishing into the caverns and shadows that they could hide within.  Philza watched as the child continued to look desperately for any sort of enemy, anything that the blade could cut into, any blood that could be spilled. 

He found one or two more spiders before the blade began to crumble in his hands, and his shaking limbs surrendered their grip on the weapon, instead of going to hold his head as light spilled past the trees illuminating the circle he fell to his knees within.

That is when  Philza knew he could move again, crawling out of the hole that had been formed in the ground from numerous explosions he made his way to the child. Reaching out he could feel his shoulders shaking.

“Hey, it’s alright, they are all gone now, you can rest.” He promised

Part of him expected to be shoved away as he had been before, to be shouted at and admonished for getting so close. What he hadn’t expected was for the child to lean into his grasp, the shaking of his shoulders growing stronger.

“They are so loud.” 

For a moment  Philza wasn’t sure he had heard the words right, “Who is so loud?”

“The voices, they won’t stop, they just want blood that's all they ever want. When they see  blood, they get so much louder. I can’t ignore it.” 

He sounded scared.

It was the only thing that  Philza could recognize at that moment, this child, he sounded terrified. This child who had easily dispatched monsters and people alike was terrified not of something outside, but something that he couldn’t escape. Some sort of voices calling inside his mind.

“It’s alright, I’m here.” He promised, not sure why, he had no reason to stay with the child, but something in his heart called to him. This boy had been left alone. Turned into a weapon, and used by everyone up till now. 

He couldn’t bring himself to let him continue such a streak alone. So instead, he wrapped his arms around him, scooping him up in one easy motion, and began his walk back home.

The child didn’t fight him, didn’t say another word, simply hid his face against  Philza’s chest as they made the long walk home. Both frozen and exhausted from the long night out.

The food had long sense went cold, as  Philza tucked the child into his bed for some rest. 

“I’ll go fix us something up and get a washcloth to clean you-” He started, getting up to walk out, but his process was halted as he felt a small hand grasp tightly to his jacket.

“...” 

Words weren’t needed as  Philza looked back, the child’s expression saying everything he needed to know.  _ Please don’t leave me _ .

It was a request  Philza didn’t think he could deny the child. So, he didn’t. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, and placing his hand on the mess of pink hair. He would have to make sure the child bathed later, there were blood and gore still clinging to his form, but for now, rest was more  important .

“I don’t want to be a weapon anymore.”

He sounded so quiet, so hopeless, and it broke  Philza’s heart. 

“You don’t have to be.”

“That’s all I’ve ever known. I’m the blade.”

_ Their weapon _ .  Philza reminded himself, the thing the men in coats were looking for, no sword, but a boy.

“You can be something new then. You don’t have to be the blade anymore. You can be something entirely new. Whatever you want to be.”

The concept seemed to blow his mind for a moment, his eyes widening as if the idea of renaming himself had never once occurred to him. He didn’t want to be a weapon anymore, so  Philza was going to make sure he wasn’t one ever again.

“ I. . . they had a really cool word they  used, I like it better. Could I be called that?” there was a spark in his eyes, even as his voice remained the same monotonous volume that gave away his excitement at the idea. The idea of being something new.

“ Of course you can! What is it?”

“Techno”

Philza blinked once,

It was certainly not what he had expected, wasn’t even a word he had really heard before, but he could see the excitement on the kid’s face, and honestly, how could he say no. “Techno? Alright then, Techno it is.” He agreed

That was when a grin finally broke on the child’s face, curling up a bit closer to  Philza’s side as he seemed to think it over. “Just like that?”

“Just like that,”  Philza assured.

“. . . Can we write it down?”

It seemed an odd request, but one  Philza didn’t mind obliging. He walked over and grabbed some wood and a carving tool before carefully carving out the name to show Techno.

Small hands traced it over, committing it to memory, taking it in, and realizing for perhaps the first time that he really was something beyond a weapon.

“How about we put this up on the door, that way if we ever have people over then everyone will know this room belongs to Techno.”

Techno stood up, taking the sign, despite his injuries and exhaustion, he seemed  reenergized by the idea. Hurrying over to his door and waiting for  Philza . 

Philza couldn’t help but laugh at his eagerness, walking over and grabbing a nail and hammer from the hall, creating a small hang for the sign to be lodged upon, and helping pick Techno up so he could place the sign himself.

The smile Techno showed at the sign was unmistakable.  _ I did the right thing _

* * *

From that day forward, they fell into a routine.

Philza knew what the child needed; what Techno needed. 

Something stable, for the first time in his life. Something he could rely on, and hold to. He was a fucking brilliant kid, and it was easy to see. It was easy to get  used to living life just the two of them.

Each morning they would wake up and make breakfast together. They would then spar one another for a few hours, it helped both of them.  Philza to sharpen his abilities, and Techno to get the energy that always seemed to be building up within him out. 

Then it was time to work,  Philza would go off to gather supplies, and Techno would take care of things at the house, tend to the garden, check on the bees, and read any and every book that  Philza brought near. The library had been raided and read through within a week, so  Philza had made it a goal to bring at least one new book back each day he went out.

It was an easy life, one that they grew rather fond of, one that seemed to last for so long, and not near long enough at the same time. A year passed with their little family growing stronger each day, Techno growing stronger each day. More and More  capable of what he was, more in control of his own strength.

Philza heard whispers in nearby towns about the city in the sky that had come down to the earth, he knew that people could see what he had spent so long working on now, that they could see what had been a part of him for so long.

His next mission was to find a way to show people, everything this world had to offer. He knew it was crazy, but there were people who would go their entire life never venturing outside of the small little area they called home, it was a shame really when there was such a wide world out there to see. Somewhere so vibrant and beautiful with so many different types of creatures waiting to be seen.

He was sure that he could bring that to life somehow, to show everyone. . . or at least to show Techno. Show him the world that he had never been allowed to see. Every corner of its beautiful cornucopia of diversity. It was going to be his gift, his birthday present for a new life if you will.

Every realm, every creature, every idea, in one place, a quick guide to everything and anything that the world  _ could be.  _ After all, books could only teach you so much, and while Techno was an absolute sponge for information, it was different to live it  firsthand .

It was a bit later than normal when he finally was making his way home this one particular time. Having been digging for most of the morning to get real samples of the earth from so many realms and then transporting it was no easy task, so he may have been a bit too distracted.

Not like it was the first time he came back late, and Techno could take care of himself.

That was why when he returned home and saw the flames, his mind went into panic mode. Techno was  capable , could take care of everything at the house and then some, what happened would have to be something outside of his control.

He rushed, dropping his bounty for home and taking out his little pocket explosions instead to get his feet off the ground. Wings spread as he flew over to the source of the fire.

The house was burning, a deep crater behind it. . . there was no reason a monster should have got so close.  Philza made sure that the area nearby was lit up as bright as it could be. He drew his sword, preparing for the worst as he landed on the chimney away from the flames. “TEchno!” He screamed out the name, hoping to get some response.

When he heard nothing, fear finally started to set in. “ Nonono ” He muttered jumping into the air and taking off again, circling around the house to see if he could see any sign of the child.

Finally, he heard someone yelling, it wasn’t Techno, it was a much to high pitch for that, screaming was a closer word for that sound, and instincts kicked in. Protect mode fully activating as he dived towards the noise.

He could see men in full armor closing in on a much smaller figure,  _ Techno _ . The blade drew, features distorted in the way he always got when the voices got their way, but he wasn’t the one yelling. The one crying.

That was when  Philza saw the filthy form of a smaller boy huddled behind Techno. 

It was clear from the way the men in armor stood, they were not the ones sent to chase after Techno after so long, they were after the other child, and Techno had no intention of letting that pass.

_ Well, guess we have some motherfuckers to fight. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy! You know when you take so long to update a chapter of a long forum fic and the basis of your story becomes noncanon while you write? I'm not crying, you are.....
> 
> But with Techno's permission for fan content to continue, I will press on with this fic of the SBI's found family madness.
> 
> Hopefully, you enjoyed it, please leave a comment if you do, any feedback really helps!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there friends and strangers alike, this is going to be a long form piece following the Sleepy bois from the time they meet, to present day on the SMP. I will be updating all tags and warnings as they come up, as well as adding warnings for the specific chapter. If I miss a warning on a chapter please do not hesitate to message me about it so I can update it.
> 
> Short of that, please leave a comment if you enjoyed the piece! Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> -Siren


End file.
